This invention falls within the framework of high-end watchmaking and more specifically relates to wristlet watches having a mechanical movement. In this field, it is usual to equip the timepieces with numerous functions which require corresponding control means housed on the watch case. So as to allow the basic functions, which normally include the manual winding of the power source of the movement of the timepiece, the hand-setting thereof, and, where appropriate, the correction of the date, the primary control means of such timepieces, the crown being placed commonly at the position of 3 o'clock on the rim of the case, often comprises two or even three corresponding axial positions. Depending on the type of timepiece, the crown may have a fourth, screwed position so as to secure it against any accidental actuation and to consolidate the water-tightness. In order to perform further functions integrated in such timepieces, such as a display of the diving time via a bezel, a chronograph, a setting of a second time zone, a glass or bezel actuation, a locking of push-buttons or other watch parts, the actuation of a striking-work mechanism or other complications, it is currently conventional to place other corresponding control means, such as a push-button or a second crown, at another position on the rim of the case, for example at 8 o'clock or 10 o'clock. This may have a detrimental effect on the appearance of the timepiece and may pose technical problems depending on the type of timepiece, the function to be controlled by the additional control means, in particular if the latter is kinematically linked with the components of the movement, the number of additional functions to be controlled, the available space, etc. The arrangement of one or more additional control means next to a primary crown and at different locations on the rim of the watch case therefore is not always a satisfactory solution for integrating further functions in a timepiece.
There are also some approaches for integrating an additional control means coaxially with respect to the primary crown and at the same location on the rim of the case as the primary crown. By way of example, the coaxial crown system disclosed in Swiss patent application CH 700 958 can be mentioned. This document concerns a watch comprising a watch movement mounted in a mobile manner in a case, such that it is not possible to fit the watch with a conventional crown having a winding rod passing through the case and the movement. The document thus proposes a system of coaxial crowns making it possible, on the one hand and by means of an additional crown that can only be actuated rotatably, to block the movement and to control the position of the winding rod, and, on the other hand and by means of a primary crown that likewise can only be actuated rotatably, to control the conventional winding and hand-setting functions. The two crowns thus each have only one axial position, given that this is a very specific case in which the movement is in rotation, such that only the winding rod can occupy a number of axial positions within the case. The kinematic connection between the primary crown and the winding rod is additionally ensured by a system comprising a ring and corresponding pinions. It should also be noted that the additional crown arranged coaxially with respect to the primary crown serves in this case only to control the blocking of the movement and the position of the winding rod, which, due to the rotation of the movement, cannot be selected directly by the axial displacement of the primary crown, such that this control system cannot be considered as allowing the control of an additional function of the timepiece, but is simply necessary for the mobile arrangement of the movement.
A further example of a system comprising a control device arranged coaxially with respect to the primary crown and at the same location on the rim of the case as the primary crown is disclosed in Swiss patent application CH 646 568. This document describes a watch comprising a first crown having two axial positions, making it possible to perform a hand-setting operation, as well as a device referred to as a second crown, which is blocked in rotation but is displaceable in translation so as to also have two axial positions and which makes it possible to select whether the hand-setting, by means of the first crown, is performed by steps of half an hour or continuously. The second crown arranged coaxially with respect to the primary crown cannot be actuated without first displacing the primary crown in its pulled position, and its actuation can be made difficult intentionally, amongst others so as to necessitate an instrument for actuating it. If the document refers to a second crown, this is thus rather a push-button enabling the choice between two functions of the primary crown, such that said device again cannot be considered as a crown enabling the control of an additional function of the timepiece.
In this context, it can be noted lastly that there are numerous documents, for example documents CH 704 262, CH 700 934, CH 520 352, CH 503 310, WO2007/076966 and EP 2 017 683, which disclose timepieces comprising a crown linked kinematically to a control rod that can be rotated and pulled as well as a blocking system allowing to block said control rod. The blocking system, which is arranged coaxially with respect to the crown in the embodiments described in the above-cited documents, can be arranged differently and allows to block the crown. It should be noted that these blocking systems, although their outer elements may have the form of a crown, do not perform any function associated with the movement or with another display or an additional function of the timepiece. Thus, none of these blocking systems can be used as a secondary crown controlling an additional function of a timepiece or for a corresponding cooperation with another part of said timepiece.
It should therefore be noted that the solutions of the prior art currently known in the field of horology only allow to control functions other than those controlled by the primary crown of a timepiece by one or more additional control means provided next to the primary crown and at different locations on the rim of the case. As explained above, this is not always a satisfactory solution for aesthetical and/or technical reasons.